School is something most children will complain about at one point or another – even the most studious young people. But there’s a difference between the casual type of complaint about school, and a clear disengagement from school altogether.
If your child is showing signs of disengagement from school, it can be incredibly stressful as a parent or caregiver. We all want the best for our child, and that includes having a complete education.
Thankfully, there is a solution for a child who is refusing or disengaging from school. The Victorian Government’s re-engagement programs offer a high level of support for students who are exhibiting signs of school refusal.
In this post, we discuss re-engagement programs and Anglicare Victoria’s highly-regarded Navigator program.
What is a re-engagement program?
Re-engagement programs, sometimes thought of as ‘re-engagement schools’, are a support service for students who are, for various possible reasons, having a hard time attending school. The Victorian Government established re-engagement programs to support Victorian government school children from years 7-10, who are disengaging or at risk of disengaging from their education. These programs are delivered by third-party Registered Training Organisations (RTOs). In essence, it’s not a separate ‘school’ per se, but an exterior program designed to re-engage them in their education.
What is the purpose of a re-engagement program?
While the main objective of re-engagement programs is to get students back into the classroom, the benefits are multi-faceted. Students can access re-engagement programs to address many different aspects of their life, including:
- Bullying, peer conflict or social pressure at school
- Difficulty with learning or lack of confidence in the classroom
- Anxiety and depression
- Body image issues
- Family breakdown and issues at home
- A range of other issues that can affect willingness to go to school
Anglicare Victoria’s Navigator program
The Navigator program is a school re-engagement program for students between the ages of 12 and 17. In our re-engagement program, we offer tailored support for your child at a time when they need it the most. Whether your child is dealing with issues in the schoolyard such as bullying, lacking confidence in the classroom, falling out with friends, or experiencing depression and anxiety, our case managers are expertly trained and qualified to give top-quality support.
Eligibility for the Navigator program
Your child is eligible for the Navigator re-engagement program if they:
- Are between 12 and 17 years of age
- Have attended less than 30% of the previous school term or equivalent time period (if enrolled in a school)
- Either live in or have most recently been enrolled in an education setting in a current Navigator Areas.
Anglicare Victoria is here to help
Every student deserves to feel confident and welcomed at their place of education. The team at Anglicare Victoria is here to help your young person overcome their reluctance towards attending school, offering therapeutic services to get your child back into the classroom. Contact Anglicare Victoria if you’d like to know more about how we can help you.
